The news yesterday a grand jury will not indict a Cleveland police officer for the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice is very disturbing to me as a Christian, father, and African American. (You can see a video of the event here). In a period when America is in deep discussions over the 2nd Amendment, access to guns, and the relationship between the African American community and law enforcement, this lack of justice on behalf of Tamir Rice demonstrates the need for action beyond words.

Let me first say I am profoundly sorry and sympathize for the Tamir Rice family. A son was playing in his neighborhood and lost his life. As parents we hope our children can play outside our homes, in recreational areas, and enjoy life. We expect our children to come home when we yell down the street, tell them it is time for lunch, and be in the house when the street lights come home. This would not be the case for Tamir Rice. He was playing in the neighborhood with a toy and he lost his life. A mother lost her twelve-year-old son to violence. Violence which came not from the hands of another African American child, gang member, or drug dealer. He lost his life violently at the hands of one who is sworn to execute his duties in a professional and judicious manner. As a father, I believe I would be in a swirl of emotions ranging from profound sadness to rage. Wouldn’t you as a parent?

Tamir Rice was judged on the basis of his size and the possibility he held a real hand gun which he was never given the opportunity to prove otherwise. What does it mean his size warranted his shooting death? My son is an African American seventeen-year-old, standing 6’1’’ and weighs 200 pounds. How is he to be judged? Now stick a gun-toy or real- in his hand, how then is he to be judged?

Now when I listen to the 2nd Amendment crowd I hear these loud overtures to bear arms, I see pictures of guns popularized, affirmed, and even sexualized. What made Tamir Rice’s situation any different? Let’s assume for a moment it was a live hand gun? The 911 caller reported no shots fired. The film demonstrates a boy in the park with a gun. Therefore, what made this situation different? In this national discussion on the right to bear arms in order to protect oneself, individual property, and the possibility of a government encroachment if the 2nd Amendment crowd remains silent on this injustice they have lost moral authority. A cop shot and killed a young boy for simply carrying a gun.

But it is bigger than the 2nd Amendment.

As an African American father with an African American son who is a 6’1’’ 200-pound male, I need to communicate he cannot enjoy his constitutional right to bear arms. The murder of Tamir Rice demonstrates to me I must sit with my son once again and remind him the nation looks at him differently. While people pontificate over the virtues of gun ownership, concealed carry licenses, and open carry to protect themselves from ISIS, I need to tell my son to have no such weapon because “you may be seen as a threat because of your size and be killed by an American!” This is the reality in which I live and I must raise my son to live in as well.

I want my son to succeed in life and flourish. I want him to have greater opportunities than I have If that means telling him never owning a firearm so that his life has the same probability of existence as his counter parts then so be it. I wish desperately others could see life and hear life as we hear it. What I fear though is Tamir will be blamed, statistics on black on black crime will be put forward again, and another life will be implicitly deemed as forgotten.

But Tamir's life like my son's life matters.

Tamir Rice’s black life matters because he is a human being. His life matters because God made him beautiful. It matters because he was playing and pretending to live out his 2nd Amendment right which is supposed to be for all American citizens. His black life matters and he deserves a full hearing in order for justice to be truly served. His life matters because it powerfully reminds me that I must guard my son’s life and let him know he can enjoy nine of the ten amendments as an African American male. ​So with all that said, how should we act?

As parents, I would encourage you to publicly stand with the Rice family.

Law Enforcement, I would encourage you to publicly reject the behavior of inept and dangerous law enforcement representatives.

If you are zealous for gun rights, stand with the Rice family.

African American fathers and mothers, please have discussions with your sons and daughters on how to interact with law enforcement.

Phillip, I truly feel your heart on this one, I pray and hope that we would act on the four things you have suggested as parents and grandparents. Pray that the cover be pulled off the corruption in law enforcement. We pray for just Judges.

He was judged based on his size and the gun in his hand without being given a chance to prove otherwise... So as a Christian, black father, and cop who wants to go home I ask you how does one prove a gun is real or not... I guess you should wait for them to pull the trigger a few times. This article is embarrassing!

Reply

Melissa Mccrary

12/29/2015 10:19:12 pm

I cannot say how sorry I am about this child who lost his life, but saying that black people don't have the 2nd amendment right is very wrong. I know alot of very responsible black gun owners that are very responsible. If you have guns even toy guns there has to be gun saftey taught at home. Never allow your child to point any gun at another person,and teach them that this will get them killed. If they do not understand that then take the guns away. There needs to be way more gun safety taught at home. You cannot blame the police or the gun or the race of the child for this child's life being lost but you can blame a serious lack of gun safety education. Toy real or whatever when it is pointed at anyone they assume they are fixing to be shot so they shoot back.